Walkley award winning journalist and Chairman of the Walkley advisory board Quentin Dempster has had his integrity questioned by The Australian in the wake of negative comments he's made recently about the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Ltd.
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When contacted by Fairfax Media, Chris Warren, director of the Walkley Foundation Trust and secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, confirmed he had received a call from The Australian's media business writer Darren Davidson, questioning him on Mr Dempster's "fitness" to perform his role as chair of the Walkley advisory board.
"I got a phone call from a journalist from The Australian asking me whether I thought it was appropriate for Quentin [Dempster] to be chair of the Walkley Board in the context of his criticisms of News Corporation," Mr Warren said.
"I said firstly I've never known Quentin or anyone else to make judgements on the board other than purely journalistic ones and that it's quite possible to criticise the corporate approach of a company, or a company's owners without it being a slur on the journalists involved or who happen to work for the company."
Mr Dempster addressed a protest against the $254 million cuts to the ABC budget at Town Hall Square on Saturday. He criticised the cuts and also called on the government not to side with "the Murdoch press".
"I appeal to members of the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party to think carefully about the power play now apparent in what is a Rupert Murdoch-directed ideological attack on the public broadcasters of this country," he said.
"If you get into bed with Murdoch in the hope of tactical advantage in the adversarial game of politics you will sell your souls.
"When the tide turns he will dump you in the gutter and laugh at your gullibility.
"Memoirs from fallen political leaders, double-crossed business partners and pubs full of sacked editors attest to his ruthlessness, unethical culture and expediency."
When contacted by Fairfax Media Mr Dempster confirmed he'd received a call from Mr Warren late on Tuesday afternoon advising him of Mr Davidson's call, asking for comment on his "fitness to continue as chairman of the Walkley advisory board".
"He [Warren] just reassured me that he stood by me," Mr Dempster said.
"No one has phoned me from News Ltd."
He said that he stands by his remarks as they were "fair comment based on the known facts".
"They do not compromise my position as the chair of the advisory board."
Both Mr Warren and Mr Dempster have served for a number of years in an official capacity for the Walkley's Foundation and both men confirmed News Ltd journalists and nominees had received Walkely awards while Mr Dempster had served as chair.
The Walkley Advisory Board is selected by and reports to the Walkley Foundation Trustees.
Current Walkley Foundation Trustees (Directors) are Quentin Dempster (the chair of the advisory board is automatically made a director), Christopher Warren, Gina McColl, Phillipa McDonald, Stuart Washington, Chris Warren and Laurie Oaks.
Ms Jacqueline Park is secretary and Executive Director of The Walkley Foundation. None of the Walkley's Foundation Trustees are currently employed by any News Ltd owned entity.
Chris Mitchell, The Australian's editor-in-chief, was contacted for comment.
